“Oh, dear!” screamed the elderly damsel. “Take the horrid thing off! Take it off this minute!”
“Come here, Jocko!” roared the Italian. “Come, Jocko!” and he held out his hands.
But Jocko had no intention of coming. Instead he clung the closer, his two forefeet in the lady’s hair. The hair was largely false, and all of a sudden a long switch came loose and fell to the ground.
At this the damsel screeched at the top of her lungs and, caught at the hair. The monkey cried, too, in concert, and then a young man rushed in to the rescue. But Jocko’s blood was up, and, leaping to the young man’s shoulder, he tore off his straw hat and began to pull it to bits. Then, with the hat still in his possession, he made a leap to the tree and joined his brother at the top.
By this time the uproar was general, and it seemed to anger the bear still more. He had been rushing over the lawn, upsetting easy chairs and benches, but now he charged straight for the crowd.
“Look out for the bear!”
“The beast is going mad and will chew somebody up!”
“Shoot him, somebody, before we are all killed!”
Such were some of the cries which rang out. The Italian turned pale with anger and alarm.
“No shootta Marcus!” he cried. “No shootta heem. He de goodda bear!”
“Then catch him!” put in the proprietor of the hotel. “Catch him and tie him up.”
But this the Italian could not do, and when the bear headed for him he ran as hard as anybody present. Around and around the grounds fled the people, some rushing for the hotel and the others to the stables and to a large summer house. The bear made first for one and then another, but at last halted in front of the stable, which now contained the Rover boys, two ladies and an elderly man, and two colored hostlers.
“Shut the doors!” cried Dick, but his words were unnecessary, for the colored men were already closing them. The bar had scarcely been dropped into place when the bear hurled himself with all force against the barrier.
“He is going to break in the door!” cried one of the ladies.
“Let us go upstairs,” said the elderly gentleman, and lost no time in leading the way.
There was a back door to close, and one of the negroes started for this. But just as he got close to the door he saw the bear coming, and, uttering a wild yell, he too made for the stairs.
Tom was close at hand, and it must be confessed that he felt thoroughly sorry over what he had done. “I’m responsible for all of it,” he groaned. Then, as the bear stepped close to the back door, he got behind the barrier and tried to shove it shut.
The result was a surprise for both boy and bear, for as the beast made a leap the edge of the door caught him, and in a twinkle the animal was held fast by the neck between the door and its frame.
CHAPTER V
A NEVER-TO-BE-FORGOTTEN SWIM
“I’ve got him fast! Help! Help!”
“Tom’s caught the bear!” shouted Sam. “Can you hold him, Tom?”
“I guess I can if some of you will help me!” panted the youth. “Hurry up!”
Sam and Dick were on the stairs, but now both ran to their brother’s assistance, and all three pushed upon the door with all of their strength.
The barrier groaned and creaked and it looked as if at any instant it would burst from its hinges.
“Gracious, we can’t hold him very long!” gasped Sam. “Can’t somebody hit the animal with a club?”
“I reckon I can do dat!” shouted one of the hostlers, and caught up an ax-handle which stood in one corner. As he approached the bear, the beast uttered a roar of commingled rage and fear, and this was so terrorizing to the colored man that he dropped the ax-handle and ran for his very life.
“Come back here!” cried Tom.
“Can’t do it, boss; he’s gwine ter chew me up!” howled the hostler.
“Hold the door—I’ll hit him,” put in Sam and he picked up the ax-handle. Stepping forward, struck out heavily, and the bear dropped in a heap, completely dazed and more than half choked to death.
By this time the Italian was again at hand. In one pocket he carried a thin but strong line, in a twinkle he had tied one fore and one hind leg together, so that the bear, when he got up again, could do little but hobble along. Then from another pocket he drew a leather muzzle, which he buckled over the beast’s head. But the bear had had all of the ugliness knocked out him and was once more as docile as ever.
“Tom,” whispered Dick. “I guess the best we can do is to get out of this place. If folks discover the trick you played, they’ll mob you.”
“I guess you’re right. But who’ll settle our bill?”
“I’ll do that,” said Sam. “They know I wasn’t near the bear when the rumpus started.”
So it was agreed, and while Tom and Dick left the hotel grounds. Sam strolled into the office to pay their bill. It was some time before the clerk came to wait on him.
“Say, I believe, your brother started this kick-up,” observed the clerk.
“What?” demanded Sam, in pretended astonishment.
“I say, I think he started this kick-up.”
“What kick-up?”
“The one with the bear, of course.”
“Why, my brothers helped to catch the beast.”
“I know that; but one of ‘em started it. What do you want?”
“I want to pay our bill. How much is it?”
“Going to leave?”
“Yes.”
“Think you had better, eh?”
“We only hired our room until this noon.” Sam drew himself up. “If you want your pay you be civil.”
“Yes, but—” The clerk broke off short. “That will be six dollars, please.”
“All right, there you are,” and Sam shoved the bills over. “Now don’t say we created a muss or I’ll report you to the proprietor.”
“Yes, but see here—”
“I’ve not got my glasses just now. Good-by, and—”
“That man hasn’t got his monkeys yet, and—”
“What’s that to you? Are you afraid the proprietor will put one of ‘em in here in your place?” And before the clerk could say another word Sam ran off and joined his brothers at the river bank.
Soon the three reached the dock where the Spray lay undergoing repairs. The deaf man was just finishing his work.
“She’ll be about as good as ever,” he said, in reply to Dick’s question. “She’s a fine boat.”
“I guess he says that of every boat that brings him in a job,” murmured Sam. “Come on.”
He went aboard and the others followed. Dan Haskett was paid off, the mainsail was hoisted, and once more they stood up the river in the direction of the State capital. It was their intention to spend two days in Albany and then return to New York with the yacht. This would wind up their vacation, for Putnam Hall was to open on the following Monday.
The day proved an ideal one, but the wind was light and the yacht scarcely moved even with the mainsail and jib set to their fullest. This being so, the boys got out their fishing lines and spent an hour in trolling, and succeeded in catching several fair-sized fish.
“We’ll have to cook our own dinner,” remarked Dick. “Tom, since you did us out of our meal at the hotel I reckon you are the one to fall in for this work.”
At this Tom cut a wry face, but still, seeing the justice of his elder brother’s remark, he went at the dinner-getting with a will. The yacht boasted a kerosene stove, and over this he set fish to frying and a pot of potatoes to boiling. As the river was calm and the yacht steady the little stove worked very well.
They were still out of sight of Albany when the midday meal was pronounced ready. In addition to the articles already mentioned, they had coffee, bread and butter, and what was left of a cocoa
nut pie purchased the day previous. The boys were all hearty eaters, and the food disappeared as if by magic.
After dinner the breeze died out utterly, and Sam proposed that they cast anchor close to shore and take a swim. The others were willing, and soon they had disrobed and donned their bathing trunks and were sporting in the water to their hearts’ content.
The water was somewhat colder than they had anticipated, and the effect upon Sam was disastrous. The youngest Rover had eaten more heartily than either of his brothers and this made him sick at the stomach. However, as he did not wish to alarm Dick and Tom and so spoil their fun, he said nothing about his condition.
“Let us race each other,” suggested Tom, and started off up the shore, with Dick close beside him. Sam brought up in the rear, but soon gave up the contest.
“Help!” The single cry reached the ears of Tom and Dick when they were fully a hundred feet from the Spray. Both turned just in time to behold Sam throw up his arms and sink from view.
“Great Caesar!” burst out Dick. “What can that mean?”
“Maybe he is only fooling,” replied Tom. “Yet I wouldn’t think he would be so foolish.”
“I don’t think Sam is fooling,” said Dick seriously, and at once struck out to where the youngest Rover had gone down. Of course Tom went with him.
To reach the spot was not an easy matter, and they were still some distance away when they saw Sam come up again. Then there was a wild circling of arms and the boy disappeared once more.
“He is drowning!” gasped Dick hoarsely.
“Come, we must save him, Tom!”
“Yes, yes,” was the puffing answer, for Tom was swimming as never before, and for a brief instant he remembered that awful adventure Sam had had at Humpback Falls, the summer previous. At that time the youngest Rover had nearly lost his life in the water.
It was Dick who gained the spot first, just as Sam came up and went down again—totally unconscious. Diving, the elder Rover caught his brother around the chest, under the arms.
“Sam, Sam, what is it?” he questioned, and as no reply came back his heart almost stopped beating. What if his brother was dead? The agony of the thought was terrible beyond description.
“Can I help you?” The question came from Tom, who was now at the side of the others.
“Catch hold of one arm, if you will,” answered Dick. “He’s a dead weight.”
“Oh!” The moan came so unexpectedly that both Tom and Dick were amazed. Then of a sudden Sam opened his eyes and clutched Dick by the throat. “Save me!”
Clearly the youngest Rover was out of his mind or he would not have taken such a hold. As it was, Dick was nearly strangled and had to unlock the fingers by sheer force. Then Sam grabbed him again, and it looked as if both would go down to a watery grave.
But now Tom came to the rescue. Swimming up from behind, he caught Sam first under one arm—and then under the other, in a back-to-back fashion. Then he bent forward and began to tread water, thus holding his brother’s head well out of water.
“Push us ashore, Dick!” he panted, and understanding the movement perfectly, the elder brother did as desired. Soon all three gained a point from which Tom could wade to the river bank with ease.
It was an anxious pair that bent over Sam, who rested on his back with his eyes closed. But the youngest Rover was not allowed to remain long in that position. Tom and Dick knew something of how to handle a person who is nearly drowned, and they now made use of this knowledge with all speed. Sam was rolled and hoisted up by the ankles, and thus he got rid of a large quantity of the water he had swallowed.
Yet even when he came to his senses he was too weak to walk, and Tom had to bring the Spray close to shore, and the sufferer had to be carried on board, his brothers wading up to their waists for that purpose.
“The first cramp I got was in the stomach,” said Sam, when he could talk. “Then it went all over me like an electric shock, and I felt I was going to drown. What happened after that was like some awful dream!” And he shuddered. It was a long while before any of them got over that adventure.
CHAPTER VI
AN UNEXPECTED MEETING
As just related, the boys had brought the Spray as closely inshore as possible. All were now in the cabin, Dick and Tom attending to Sam’s wants; and consequently no one noticed the passage of one of the palatial steamers that make daily trips between New York and the capital of the State.
These steamers, in running so fast, cast out long rollers on both sides that go tumbling shoreward one after another. The rollers now caught the Spray and sent her dancing up and down like a cork.
“Hullo, we’re in danger!” shouted Tom, and rushed for the deck, with Dick almost at his heels. The anchor was dragging, and unless pushed off the yacht would soon be pounding on the rocks.
“I’ll put up the sail!” roared Dick. “You bring up the anchor!”
“I guess you had better pole her off,” replied Tom. Nevertheless, he did as Dick requested, working like a beaver.
The wind was still faint, and when the mainsail was hoisted it failed to fill. Seeing this, Dick seized a pole and Tom did the same. They speedily found that they could not send the yacht out any distance. But, with a pole at the bow and another at the stern, they managed to keep her off the rocks until the rollers began to go down. Then they shoved off with ease and moved slowly up the river.
“I’ll tell you what, in handling a boat you have got to have your weather eye open all the time,” observed Tom.
“Yes, and you want to have it open on all sides of you,” smiled Dick. “If you don’t, you’ll catch it before you are aware.”
Sam lay on one of the tiny berths with which the Spray was provided. His face was deathly white, and, to use his own words, he felt “as weak as a rag.”
“I’m just beginning to realize how close to death I was,” he whispered to Tom. “It was awfully good of you and Dick to do what you did.”
“Pooh! you would do just as much for us, Sam,” answered the fun-loving brother. But, just the same, he gave Sam’s hand a tight squeeze on the quiet.
“What was that thumping, Tom?” asked the younger brother a bit later.
“The rollers from a big steamer nearly put us on the rocks.”
“Gracious, more perils! Don’t you think we had better give up our outing on the water?”
“It will come to an end in a few days, Sam. We’ll make the trip to Albany, and that will be the last of it.”
It was nightfall by the time they came up to the capital city. Getting the necessary permission to tie up at one of the private wharves, they locked up the cabin of the Spray and went ashore.
“Tom Rover, as I live! And Dick and Sam, too!”
The cry came from up the street, and soon a boy of Dick’s age was running to meet them. It was Frank Harrington, their old school chum and room-mate of Dormitory No. 6.
“Frank!” came from the three, and a general handshaking followed.
“What brings you here?” asked Dick.
“Why, don’t you know, my folks moved up to Albany from New York—father’s in the State Senate now, you know,” returned Frank, with pride.
“Oh, that’s so—and you are a senator’s son,” put in Tom. “I guess we’ll have to tip our hats to you after this and call you Mr. Harrington.”
“Stow it, Tom, and keep your jokes until school opens,” interrupted Frank. “Yes, we live here, and I thought you knew all about it. I sent you a letter.”
“We’ve been away from home for several weeks,” explained Dick, and told of their outing on the water.
“It must be jolly. My father owns a boat, but we seldom use it. So you are going to stay in Albany over tomorrow? If that’s the case you must come up to our house. I won’t hear of your going to a hotel.”
“Will that arrangem
ent suit your folks?” questioned Dick.
“Oh, yes! The girls are all away—down to Asbury Park—and so is mother; and father and I and the servants have the whole mansion to ourselves. I can tell you, it’s just a bit lonely at times, and I’m real glad you came,” concluded Frank.
“If your father is a senator perhaps you can get us a pass through the Capitol building,” put in Sam.
“You won’t need a pass. I’ll go with you. But, Sam, you look sick.”
Sam’s tale had to be told to Frank, who, meanwhile, led the way to a street car. Boarding this, the boys soon reached the Harrington mansion, located on one of Albany’s finest thoroughfares. Here they met Senator Harrington and were speedily introduced.
“I’ve heard of you before,” smiled the senator. He was a pleasant-looking man of forty-five. “Frank says the Rover boys were the whole school—or something like that.”
At this there was a laugh. “I guess he must have been one of the Rovers, then,” rejoined Tom; “he was just as good as any of us.” And then there was another laugh, and the newcomers felt perfectly at home.
There was a concert company in town, and, receiving permission from his father to do so, Frank took his friends to see the performance. The singing was very good; and, despite the fact that it was still warm weather, the concert hall was packed.
The program was a long one, and, with the numerous encores, did not come to an end until nearly eleven o’clock.
“That was immense,” remarked Tom, when they were coming out. “I wish I could sing like that tenor.”
“We ought to get up a quartet at the Hall,” put in Frank. “I understand they had a singing club year before last.”
“We’re going to have a banjo club,” said Dick.
“Larry Colby wrote to me about it. He has a new banjo that cost fifteen dollars, and he—”
Dick broke off short as a slouchy-looking man brushed against him. The eyes of the man and the boy met, and then the man disappeared in the crowd as if by magic.
“Well, I never!”
The Rover Boys Megapack Page 19